Illuminated buoy for marine service



Nov. 16, 1937. G. A. F. wlNcKLER ILLUMINATED BUOY FOR MARINE SERVICEFiled May 13, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Ivm/ent of; @Un/vaf-AE/V/'Uc/f/ef;

G. A, F. WINCKLER ILLUMINATED BUOY FOR MARINE SERVICE Nov. 16, 1937.

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ILLUMINATED BUOY FOR MARINE SERVICE A Filed May 13, 1955 5 sheets-sheet:s

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Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES ILLUMINATED Booy Eon MARINE sEEvIcEGunnar A. F. Winckler, Worcester, Mass., assignor to WincklerEngineering Laboratories Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application May 13, 1933, Serial No. 670,903

1 claim. (c1. 9-83) My invention relates to a novel sea link electricalgenerator for supplying electrical current to a signalling means,particularly to a lamp, which is especially adapted for illuminatedbuoys for marine service, used forvlocating objects in or on the surfaceof thewater of the salt seas. These buoys may be of several types, suchas mooring buoys, life buoys, navigation markers, and fishing buoys formarking and supporting trawls or nets. Y

Heretofore cumbersome expedients have been employed, such for example,as oil or gas lamps in various forms and applications. These, however,have proven uniformly unreliable and require constant attention to suchan extent that properrsignals are ,not always given, so that at timessuch buoys become a menace to navigation. To avoidthese conditions Ihave devised an electrical system characterized by its simplicity andwhich electrical generating unit when combined with the waters of thesalt seas will give constant service and a maximum length of life, andwill be absolutely free from the necessity of care and attention.

My invention resides in a Vfloating buoy having a Vwell formed thereinadapted to receive an electrical generating unit having a positive andnegative electrode connected permanently with a lamp or other signallingmeans, which well, when immersed in the water of the salt seas, issupplied with electrolyte which both completes the electric generatorand closes and energizes the electric circuit.

Under the old conditions where electrolyteis used for electricalgeneration, it is short lived and impractical, due to the fact that theelectrolyte is rapidly contaminated in small containers and is furtherreduced or destroyed by evaporation. In addition, due to localvaction,Vthe generator is constantly being destroyed when not in service withoutany useful end being accomplished and is of limited shelf-life. To avoidthis condition the waters of the salt seas are used for the electrolyte,so that an inexhaustible supply of electrolyte is available, convenientand harmless in character; and when the unit is removed from the waterand is placed out of service there is neither a complete generator nor acomplete circuit; therefore the local or destructive action previouslyreferred to cannot take place, so that this unit hasI an inniteshelf-life and is always ready for immediate use upon immersion in thewaters of the salt seas.

An object of my invention is to provide an electrically illuminatedbuoy, or at least a buoy having some form of electrically-energizedsignalling means for marine service,having an electric generator tovfurnish power for energizing said signalling means, and which givesunlimited service, intensive illumination or energization of Vany othertype of electrically-actuating signalling means which may be used, andwhich does not deteriorate when not Vin use,.requires no care,

and is cheap to manufacture. r

Referring to the gures in the accompanying drawings, in which several ofmy at-present-Y` preferred forms of my invention are illustrated,

solely by way of example: I

Fig. 1 is a schematic layout showing the position ofthe buoy in thewaters of the salt seas. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the buoy with the lampin position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the buoy. Y I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the electrical generator as located in thebuoy, the latter being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the electrical generator mounted in thebuoy, the latter being partly broken away on both sides.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the generator.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the generator with the buoy in section.

Fig. 8 is a cross section showing the well in the buoy as well as theelectric generator.

Fig. 9 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing theelectrical connections.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the new buoy for marineservice in this case adapted for illumination, the particularconstruction of Fig. 1 is adapted for `locating a boat mooring indicatedby the letter A, Yand which is anchored on the bottom of the sea.lSecured to the mooring A is the mooring line B, which is connected tothe mooring buoy I0 by the small rope C. Once the mooring buoy islocated, the buoy I0 is lifted into the boat and the boat D can besecured in position by any mooring line B. The buoy is of the well knownconstruction excepting the special construction necessary to secure theelectrical lighting system in position.

'Ihe electrical system is dependent for its highest efficiency on thewaters of the salt seas E to complete the electrical generating unit andthe electrical circuit which furnishes light for the buoy.

The buoy has a casing I0, (Fig. 2) which preferably is cylindrical inits upper section, while its lower part l I preferably is conical, inorder to obtain suicient displacement of the water to float the buoyproperly. The upper part of the buoy is shown as provided with a coverI2, mounted on the cylinder I0 of the portion I I and shown as Yattachedto it by suitable means such as a cylinder I3, for making an airtightbuoy and for providing'a chamber |4 for the insertion and operation ofthe electrical generator. The buoy preferably is provided with a ringl5, which I show as formed integral with the straps I6, rigidly securedto the buo-y I0. I show a thimble I'I secured to the ring I5, to whichthe rope C may be attached. I may secure a bail I8 to the upper part ofthe buoy for handling purposes; -and I may also secure to the upperpartoi the buoy a lamp guard I9, to protect the lens and the lamp frombreakage.

The main embodiment of my invention may be construed as residing inproviding an electrical generator for the buoy which generator is shownas located and secured in the chamber I4 which is open at both ends toallow the water to enter and also allow the air to pass out at the topwhen the water enters at the bottom. The generator can be secured to thebuoy in any suitable manner. The generator is shown as consisting of anouter cylindrical casing 20 forming a negative electrode made preferablyof Zinc but which could be made of any suitable material, and an inner,positive electrode 2| which preferably is made of carbon to obtain thebest generating results. I prefer to form slots 22,723, 24 and 25 in theelectrode 20,V adapted to Vreceive the insulating bars 2B and 2'I forsupporting the inner electrode 2| and the depending members. The barsare held in position by bolts 28 and 29 threaded into the innerelectrode 2|. The negative electrode 2B cooperates with the positiveelectrode 2 I, and when the casing 20 is iilled with the waters of thesalt seas, an electric generator is formed.

Secured to the carbon electrode 2| is shown a sack 30 consisting of aporous material such as cloth, for holding in position a layer ofdepolarizing mixture 3| such as manganese dioxide or copper dioxide andcarbon. The mixture or Inaterial is placed in the sack, which is securedat both ends to the central carbon electrode, thereby attaching itsecurely in position and preventing the waters of the salt seas fromwasting it away.

Secured to the cover I2 of the buoy IE] is a lamp socket 32 shown asformed of convolutions of wire the ends of which are bent downward andsecured in position, forming a support for the lamp 33. Thelamp-supporting structure 32 is in contact with the outer electrode 20,and the lamp base 34 and the insulated conductor 35 connect the otherside of the lamp iilament with the inner electrode 2|, thus forming apermanently connected lamp circuit with the exception of salt sea water.

The supporting structure is an air-tight container and can be of anybuoyant material having a well or hole in which or by virtue of whichthe new and novel electrical generator is mounted for immediate use orservice. A great advantage of the structure is that when it is not inuse itis completely inactive until placed in the salt sea water. Todiffuse the light from the lamp 33 a lens 36 preferably is provided toincrease the area of illumination. The lens is shown as held in positionby suitable means such as a clamp 3l and secured in position byfastening devices, for example, screws.

In operation the mooring buoy floats in the waters of the salt seas andis attached to a mooring or any other submerged structure so that it canbe located and identified when necessary, in order to secure the boat orother apparatus in position. When the buoy is thrown into the waters ofthe salt seas it is, by virtue of its presence there, supplied with anelectrolyte which is prevented from contamination by its inexhaustiblesupply, together with the constant motion of the sea Waves and tides;the electrolyte completing an operable generating cell-for supplyingcurrent to the lamp 33.

It is obvious that once the broad features oi my invention aredisclosed, many modifications and adaptations will readily occur tothose skilled in the art, all falling within the arnbit oi mycontribution to the art. Accordingly, I intend that my invention belimited only'by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is;

A buoy for marine service comprising in combination an outer casing, ahollow conical end portion at the bottom of said outer casing with itsapex extending downwardly, a cylindrical wall within said outer casingand concentric therewith, whereby a cylindrical chamber is lformed aboutthe vertical axis of said buoy, said chamber having insulated barsacross its lower end, a sea water generator link unit located in saidchamber and dmensioned to t snugly therein, said generator unit beingcomprised of negative and positive electrodes, normally inoperable, nutand bolt means associated with said insulated bars for retaining saidgenerator in place, a lamp permanently secured to the top of saidgenerator unit and connected to the respective electrodes of saidgenerator unit, a lens on said buoy extending over said lamp, immersionof said buoy in sea water causing the influx of water in the saidchamber around the bars at the bottom of said chamber, whereby saidwater serves as an electrolytic link to activate said generator andenergize said lamp, withdrawal of said buoy from the water causing theegress of water from said chamber and consequent cessation of the actionof said generator unit and deenergization of the lamp.

GUNNAR A. F. WINCKLER.

